Harold David Anderson

Harold David Anderson AO OBE (6 September 1923 – 17 June 2020)^[1] was an Australian public servant and diplomat.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Harold David Anderson AO OBE
Born	(1923-09-06)6 September 1923 Semaphore, South Australia, Australia
Died	17 June 2020(2020-06-17) (aged 96) Sydney, Australia
Alma mater	University of Adelaide (LLB)
Occupation(s)	Public servant, diplomat

Early life and career

Anderson was born in the North Adelaide suburb of Semaphore on 6 September 1923, the son of A. H. Anderson of Mount Gambier. He spent his early years and education in Largs Bay and later Mount Gambier, where he attended Mount Gambier High School.^[7] At Mount Gambier High School he was dux of his Intermediate year and won the Vansittart Scholarship, which entitled him to three years at St Peter's College, Adelaide.^[8] In his final year at the college he won a Bursary to study law at the University of Adelaide. At the end of his first year he gained first position in Latin, receiving the Andrew Scott Prize, and was articled to Charles Abbott KC, who later rose to be Attorney-General of South Australia.^[7]

During his second year at university, Andserson enlisted as a Private into the Australian Army on 7 October 1942. While serving in New Guinea in 1944, Anderson sat for the cadetship examination for the new Australian diplomatic service, and was the only South Australian selected, being discharged on 3 June 1944.^[9][10]

Honours

• Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), 1980 Australia Day Honours.^[11]
• Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), 1966 Queen's Birthday Honours.^[12][13]

References

1. "ANDERSON, Harold David, AO OBE". Retrieved 3 September 2020.
2. CP 955: Harold David ANDERSON AO, OBE, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 25 June 2017
3. "Ambassadors for two posts". The Canberra Times. 16 December 1963. p. 1.
4. "Observer named for Paris talks". The Canberra Times. Vol. 42, no. 11, 994. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 May 1968. p. 1. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Envoy for Paris". The Canberra Times. Vol. 48, no. 13, 597. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 20 November 1973. p. 8. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "LES FRANCAIS EN AUSTRALIE". Le Courrier Australien. No. 42. New South Wales, Australia. 1 December 1973. p. 8. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "Diplomatic Cadetship for Tpr David Anderson". The Border Watch. Vol. 84, no. 9238. South Australia. 16 May 1944. p. 1. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "VANSITTART SCHOLARSHIP". The Border Watch. Vol. 77, no. 8249. South Australia. 11 December 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "S.A. COMMANDO". The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 33, no. 1, 668. South Australia. 13 May 1944. p. 14. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "CANBERRA UNIVERSITY GOLLEGE COMMENCEMENT". The Canberra Times. Vol. 20, no. 5931. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 April 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "ANDERSON, Harold David - Officer of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour database. Australian Government. 26 January 1980. Retrieved 25 June 2017. FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AS A DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVE
12. "ANDERSON, Harold David - The Order of the British Empire - Officer (Civil)". It's an Honour database. Australian Government. 11 June 1966. Retrieved 25 June 2017. In recognition of service as a diplomatic representative
13. "12 dubbed knight at Government House". The Canberra Times. Vol. 41, no. 11, 491. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 24 September 1966. p. 24. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Lawrence John Lawrey	Australian Consul in Noumea 1951–1952	Succeeded by H. E. Holland as Vice Consul
Preceded by Brian Clarence Hill	Australian Ambassador to Vietnam 1964–1966	Succeeded by Lew Border
Preceded by Alan Renouf	Australian Ambassador to France 1973–1978	Succeeded by John Rowland
	Permanent Delegate of Australia to UNESCO 1974–1975	Succeeded by James Oswin
Preceded by James Oswin	Permanent Delegate of Australia to UNESCO 1976–1978	Succeeded by Ralph Slatyer
Preceded by Ralph Harry	Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations 1978–1982	Succeeded by Richard Woolcott
Preceded by Roy Fernandez	Australian Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Australian Ambassador to the European Communities 1983–1986	Succeeded by Peter Curtis